Computer including a disk drive, motherboard and fan

ABSTRACT

A computer includes an enclosure, at least one disk drive, a panel and a fan. The at least one disk drive is located in the enclosure. The panel is mounted to a side of the enclosure. The panel has different material relative to the enclosure. The fan is mounted to the panel. The vibration generated from fan is indirectly transferred to the at least one disk drive.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to co-pending U.S. Patent Applicationentitled “COMPUTER”, application Ser. No. 12/695,715; co-pending U.S.Patent Application entitled “COMPUTER”, application Ser. No. 12/695,707;and co-pending U.S. Patent Application entitled “COMPUTER”, applicationSer. No. 12/695,717.

BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates to computers, especially to small formfactor computers.

DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART

Small form factor (SFF) computers are smaller than typical desktopcomputers. They are often used in space-limited areas where normalcomputers cannot be placed. Some SFF computers employ compact componentsdesign relative to the full-size desktop computers, such as compactoptical drives, compact memory modules, and compact processors. Thesmall size of SFF cases may limit expansion options, and standard CPUcooling system typically will not fit inside the SFF computer.

Conventional SFF PC includes a disk drive and a fan. The fan and thedisk drive are usually mounted to one bracket or contact to an enclosuredirectly. The disk drive may be affected by vibration of the fan throughthe enclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Many aspects of the embodiments can be better understood with referencesto the following drawings. The components in the drawings are notnecessarily drawn to scale, the emphasis instead being placed uponclearly illustrating the principles of the embodiments. Moreover, in thedrawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding partsthroughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of computer in accordance with anembodiment.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of an enclosure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial assembled view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is an assembled view of a fan and a front panel.

FIG. 5 is a schematic, assembled view of FIG. 1 but the front panel isremoved.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an assembled computer, and showingairflows generated by the fan.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The disclosure is illustrated by way of example and not by way oflimitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which likereferences indicate similar elements. It should be noted that referencesto “an” or “one” embodiment in this disclosure are not necessarily tothe same embodiment, and such references mean at least one.

Referring to FIG. 1, a computer according an embodiment refers to asmall form factor (SFF) PC. The computer includes an enclosure 10, aplatform 15, a front panel 20, a back panel 30, and a plurality ofhardware arranged inside the enclosure 10 and the front panel 20. Thehardware may include a fan 40, a plurality of disk drives 50, a powersupply 60, a motherboard 70, a heat sink 80, at least one memory 90 andat least one expansion card 100.

Referring also to FIG. 2, the enclosure 10 can be integrally formed. Theenclosure 10 can be made of metal, and in one embodiment, the enclosure10 can be made of extruded aluminum. The enclosure 10 has a square crosssection. The enclosure 10 defines two openings on opposite sides. Theenclosure 10 includes a top wall 11, two side walls 12 and a bottom wall13. The top wall 11, the side walls 12 and the bottom wall 13 areconnected end to end, and cooperatively defining a receiving space. Afirst direction is defined from the back panel 30 to the front panel 20.A support portion 122 is formed on each side wall 12. The supportportion 122 has a U-shaped cross section, such that it may slidinglyreceive the platform 15. The support portion 122 extends direction alongthe first direction. The extending direction is parallel to the top wall11 of the enclosure 10. Each support portion 122 may divide the sidewall 12 in the middle. A retaining portion 124 is formed at each innercorner of the enclosure 10. Each retaining portion 124 defines aretaining hole 1242 for mounting the front panel 20. Two lower retainingportions 124 define two retaining grooves 1246 for receiving themotherboard 70. The enclosure 10 may have round corners at an outersurface of each corner.

Referring to FIG. 3, the platform 15 can be made of plastic. Theplatform 15 divides the receiving space of the enclosure 10 into anupper housing and a lower housing when installed in the enclosure 10.The platform 15 is installed parallel to the top wall 11 and the bottomwall 13. The platform 15 may evenly partition the receiving space.

The disk drives 50 and the power supply 60 is placed in the upperhousing. The disk drives 50 may be 3.5″ hard disks. The platform 15 mayhave block tabs (not shown) to separating each disk drive 50. The heightof the upper housing may be slightly taller than a height of the diskdrive 50.

In some embodiments, the motherboard 70, the heat sink 80, the memory 90and the expansion card 100 located in the lower housing. The heat sink80, the memories 90 and the expansion card 100 are coupled to themotherboard 70. The memory 90 and the expansion card 100 parallel to thefirst direction for heat dissipation.

Referring to FIG. 4, the front panel 20 can be made from plastic. Thefan 40 can be mounted to an inner surface of the front panel 20 byfasteners. An airflow area blown by the fan 40 travelling through thereceiving space may be larger than 25 percent of an area of the openingof the enclosure 10.

When assembling an embodiment of the computer, the platform 15 is slidinto the enclosure 10. The disk drives 50 are vertically positioned inthe upper housing. A top side of each disk drive 50 may abut the topwall 11 of the enclosure 10 and aid in heat dissipation. The powersupply 60 is positioned in the upper housing. The disk drives 50 and thepower supply 60 can be directly located on the platform 15. The heatsink 80, the memories 90 and the expansion card 100 are mounted to themotherboard 70. The motherboard 70 is slid into the enclosure 10 via theretaining grooves 1246. The fan 40 is mounted to the front panel 20. Thefront panel 20 is attached to the enclosure 10 and covers one opening ofthe enclosure 10. The back panel 20 is screwed into the enclosure 10 tocover the other opening of the enclosure 10. The computer is assembled.The fan 40 is located at a side of the heat sink 80 and the disk drives50. The fan 40 may leave a distance from the platform 15, the heat sink80, and the disk drives 50.

When dissipating heat in the enclosure 10, the fan 40 can dissipate heatthroughout the entire computer. The fan 40 creates an air current alongthe first direction. The air current may be stronger at the heat sink 80and weaker at the disk drives 50 due to a different position of the fan40 relative to the heat sink 80 and the disk drives 50. The air currentfrom the front panel 20 may become warm when travelling through the heatsink 80 or disk drives 50 and the warm air current may travel outthrough the back panel 30. The back panel 30 may define some slots oropenings of some kind to allow the warm air current to escape (see FIG.1). In this embodiment, only a single fan 40 is used in the enclosure 10for heat dissipation, so the air current blown by the fan 40 may travelthrough the receiving space along a straight direction, thus no otherfans or air duct for guiding air current is needed in the enclosure 10.Therefore, reducing the number of fans and efficiently dissipating heatin the computer.

In conventional computer, a disk drive may be affected by vibrationsfrom an external source, such as a fan, when the disk drive and the fanare mounted to a bracket. However, in the embodiment, the disk drives 50and the fan 40 are located separately. The disk drives 50 are placed inthe enclosure 10, and the fan 40 is mounted to the front panel 20. Insome embodiments, the enclosure 10 is made of metal and the fan 40 ismade of plastic. Vibration generated from the fan 40 is indirectlytransferred to the disk drives 50. In detail, the vibration generatedfrom the fan 40 sequentially passes through the plastic front panel 20,the metal enclosure 10 and the plastic platform 15. Connection withdifferent material between the enclosure 10 and the fan 40 caneffectively reduce vibration transfer between the enclosure 10 and thefront panel 20. In another embodiment, the fan 40 can be mounted to theback panel 30 instead. In addition, a disk drive may generate vibrationsthat affect the electronic elements coupled on the motherboard when thedisk drive is working. In the embodiment, the disk drives 50 and themotherboard 70 are separated by the plastic platform 15. Effects causedby vibrations from the disk drives 50 can be reduced.

According some embodiments, the enclosure 10 is made of single piece ofaluminum. This aluminum enclosure 10 can save conventional assemblingcost of enclosure and get better effect of heat dissipation.

In other embodiments, the hardware in the upper housing and the lowerhousing can be switched. The motherboard 70, the heat sink 80, thememories 90 and the expansion card 100 are placed in the upper housing,and the disk drives 50 and the power supply 60 are placed in the lowerhousing. The fan 40 is located at a side of the heat sink 80 and thedisk drives 50. The upper housing and the lower housing can also befurther divided as needed.

It is also to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoingdescription of preferred embodiments, together with details of thestructures and functions of the preferred embodiments, the disclosure isillustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially inmatters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principlesof the disclosure to the full extent indicated by the broad generalmeaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer comprising: an enclosure, theenclosure having a square cross section, the enclosure comprising fourretaining portions at inner comers of the enclosure; at least one diskdrive located in the enclosure; a panel mounted to a side of theenclosure on the four retaining portions, the panel comprising adifferent material than the enclosure; and a fan mounted to the paneland spaced a distance from the at least one disk drive; whereinvibration generated from the fan is indirectly transferred to the atleast one disk drive; the four retaining portions comprise a pair oflower retaining portions, and the pair of lower retaining portionsdefine a pair of retaining grooves for receiving a motherboard.
 2. Thecomputer of claim 1, wherein the fan creates an air current along adirection perpendicular to panel.
 3. The computer of claim 1, whereinthe panel is a front panel.
 4. The computer of claim 1, wherein theenclosure is made of metal and the panel is made of plastic.
 5. Thecomputer of claim 1 further comprising a platform, the platform dividesthe enclosure into two housings.
 6. The computer of claim 5, wherein theat least one disk drive and the motherboard are located in differenthousings.
 7. The computer of claim 6 further comprising a heat sinkcoupled to the motherboard, wherein the fan is located at a side of theheat sink and the at least one disk drive, and the fan is spaced fromthe platform.
 8. The computer of claim 6, wherein the housings comprisean upper housing and a lower housing, the at least one disk drive islocated in the upper housing, and the motherboard is located in thelower housing.
 9. The computer of claim 5, wherein the at least one diskdrive is mounted to the platform.
 10. The computer of claim 9, whereinthe enclosure is made of metal and the platform is made of plastic. 11.The computer of claim 10, wherein the panel is made of plastic.
 12. Thecomputer of claim 11, wherein the enclosure is made of extrudedaluminum.
 13. The computer of claim 5, wherein the two housings, dividedby the platform, are substantially equal.
 14. The computer of claim 1,wherein the enclosure comprises a top wall, a bottom wall parallel tothe top wall and two side walls.
 15. The computer of claim 14, whereinthe top wall, the bottom wall and the two side walls are made of asingle piece.
 16. The computer of claim 1, wherein each of the fourretaining portions defines a retaining hole for mounting the frontpanel.
 17. The computer of claim 16, wherein the enclosure has roundedcorners at an outer surface.